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Ecologically, Africa's tallest peak is a world in miniature.
On what other mountain can you journey from dry fields and
farms into steaming jungles, then up through exotic heaths and
moorlands to an alpine desert and finally a glaciated summit?
Each of Kilimanjaro's six distinct ecological zones has its
own climate and coterie of flora and fauna. Beginning with the
band of rain forest that girdles the mountain's base starting
at about 6,000 feet, this microcosmic Gaia gets gradually
drier, cooler, and more inhospitable to plants, animals, and
people as one ascends to the sparkling summit at 19,340 feet.
To get a sense of what distinguishes each zone, click on the
diagram at left. By the end, if nothing else, you'll know what
kinds of clothes you'd need to bring for an ascent (hint: all
of them).—Peter Tyson
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